The Birth and Death of Liberal Democracy in Hungary

Emilia Palonen's book examines the historical and discursive processes that enabled the transformation of Hungarian politics from post-communist liberal democracy to an increasingly illiberal regime.

Drawing on close reading of political language and historical context, the author traces how polarization functioned as a hegemonic strategy to delegitimate opponents and consolidate power.

The book situates Fidesz's rise within longer-term continuities dating back to the communist period and subsequent transitions.

Palonen uses the concept of populist logic as a heuristic to explain mobilization and antagonistic discourse without collapsing the complex ideological content into a single label.

The work is written for scholars and general readers interested in democratic backsliding, populism, and Central European politics.